Viral Hooks
Trending short videosStory of building sidequest app
J

@joinwabi

Instagram · Vlog

@joinwabi Comment “side quests” for the app, it’s free :))) #vlog #travel #sidequest

View original on Instagram

The edit1 shot · 2 text
Shots Text0:44

Performance

Views
349.6K
Likes
27.2K
Comments
16.5K
Engagement
12.5%
Outlier
17.1×
Length · 2 Mar 2026
0:44

Video #21871 · Vlog

Story of building sidequest appfrom @joinwabi

[01]

Overview

The creator narrates his journey of feeling bored with his life and deciding to build a 'side quest' app to gamify his daily routine. He documents the struggles of learning to code and design from scratch, showcases the final app's retro interface and features, and ends with a humorous FaceTime call where a friend rejects his invite to use it, seamlessly transitioning into a call-to-action for viewers to try the app.

[02]

Simple outline

  1. 1State relatable personal flaw
  2. 2Propose overly ambitious solution
  3. 3Show fast-paced creation montage
  4. 4Reveal final impressive product
  5. 5Deliver self-deprecating punchline

[03]

Related videos

[04]

Classification

Format
Concepts
Origin StoryProduct Promo
Elements
Montage EditingScreen RecordingB-Roll Cutaway

[05]

Hook analysis

What stops the scroll in the first 3 seconds

Title hook · 55%

SIDEQUESTS: try new restaurant go for a walk get coffee with a friend learn something new

Verbal hook · 40%

I tried forcing myself to do side quests to see if it would make my life less boring.

Visual hook · 5%

A wide, static shot of the creator standing alone in the middle of a large, slightly overgrown backyard, establishing a slightly awkward and relatable tone before immediately cutting to a fast-paced montage.

[07]

Hook and payoff

The promise the opener makes, and how the video pays it back

Hook

Exposing a vulnerable, highly relatable personal dissatisfaction or FOMO to instantly build empathy and viewer identification.

Payoff

A self-deprecating twist where the impressive creation fails a basic real-world test, grounding the creator and seamlessly transitioning into a community-driven call-to-action.

[08]

Narrative framework

The structural pattern this video runs on

Framework

The Relatable Invention Arc

Hooking viewers with a universal personal flaw, documenting the underdog journey of building a complex solution from scratch, and undercutting the final reveal with a self-deprecating comedic twist.

  1. 1

    The Ambitious Pivot

    Announcing a disproportionately complex, high-effort project to solve the initial emotional problem, creating immediate narrative intrigue.

  2. 2

    The Underdog Confession

    Listing the creator's complete lack of qualifications or skills for the project, lowering expectations and increasing emotional investment.

  3. 3

    The Grind Montage

    A rapid-fire visual sequence showing the grueling learning process, late nights, and effort required to bridge the skill gap.

  4. 4

    The Feature Showcase

    Revealing the surprisingly high-quality final product and highlighting its best features to satisfy the narrative build-up.

Themes

  • Self-improvement
  • Building in public
  • Overcoming boredom
  • Humor and self-deprecation

Techniques

  • Voiceover narration
  • Montage editing
  • Screen recording
  • Comedic timing

Trends

  • Vibe coding
  • Gamifying life
  • Side quests

Post caption

Comment “side quests” for the app, it’s free :))) #vlog #travel #sidequest

Text overlays

  • informational · beginning

    SIDEQUESTS: try new restaurant go for a walk get coffee with a friend learn something new

  • title · beginning

    A LORE CUCK

Transcript

I tried forcing myself to do side quests to see if it would make my life less boring. I always see other people doing cool things, going on adventures, then I looked at myself and I realized that I am a lore clerk. So to change that, I decided to make an app that gives me side quests. The only problem is I can't code, have no design instincts, I might have no talents. So I stayed up all night learning about vibe coding, read books on design, and did more research on cool side best. And after many sleepless nights, I finally made this. I gave it a retro game aesthetic with EXP for each quest you complete. And I added a party function so you can play with your friends. Do you wanna try using my app? No. Not really. I still need to test that last function. So let me know if you try this because

Story of building sidequest app | Viral Hooks